Armonster20

What is the proper technique for launching off a ramp/kick/roller/etc? I've read conflicting things about whether you should be on a slight edge or totally flat. Some people say to ollie right before you get to the edge (so that YOU dictate your launch rather than depend on the conditions of the kicker), and some people say let the jump launch you.

nzboardlife

Find what works for you... go out and experiment. I use everything you said above, depends on what im launching off and what i want to achieve when i do launch. eg. when hitting natural features i tend to ride a slight edge but on a kicker i will most likely come in flat based or on a very very slight edge.

im sure the more jump inclined people on here will have a better answer...

LouG

Nzboardlife is right, it's about finding your 'sweet spot'.

For me I usually give a small pop as my board is passing the lip (maybe about halfway passed). Every jump requires a bit of pop (sometimes so little it seems more like a launch) to it and the amount depends on how the feature is set up that day.

Unless you are going into a spin, you will want to hold a reasonably flat base riding into the transition.

A couple of other points...

Take a couple of minutes to watch other riders hit the feature first. This will help you gauge your speed and approach on your first hit.

Pick one point on the lip. Decide on the line you are taking through the jump and follow it all the way through. This isn't something you want to decide as you are coming into the transition (usually resulting in getting bucked).

Gorilla stance. Crouch down and center your weight over your board. Don't ride the transition, ride over it. In other words don't let your weight shift back with the transition, you want to keep the general momentum of your body heading forward. I know that is probably confusing.

Lastly, COMMIT! YOU CAN DO IT!

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Snowolf

In freestyle, any manuever is broken down into components. we call this ATML which stands for Approach, take off, manuever and landing. For working on form for jumps off kickers, here is the way that AASI recomends:

Approach: Set up early so that speed and direction are stable as you approach the feature. Stability on the approach is key to starting things right. Do any speed checks and corretions early on as approach the ramp. Good flexion/extension is also key to smooth transitions. As you approach the ramp, you should be flexed. I don`t like the gorilla stance as it hunches you over and shifts your center of gravity outside the optimum range of your board. Flex ankles, knees and hips to get low while keeping you upper body quite and upright over your board. As you start into the transition, gradually begin extending. This gradually unweights your board as it begins to ride up the transition and will allow you to maintain your speed as well as begin the entire unweighting process to launch. Some say to be flat based for straight air. In a way they are right, but you really want to be on a little bit of edge for good directional control, so a better description would be extemely low edge angle.

Takeoff:Depending on skill level and terrain, you may or may not ollie off a lip. At first, don`t Ollie; just get down being nice and fluid and stable in the air, then try adding the Ollie. As you leave the lip, fully extend to completely unweight the board for flight. Keep weight centered over your board and do not lean back. Keep shoulders lined up over your tip and tail to prevent unwanted spin. Rember to keep you head upright and looking forward. As you become airborn, fully flex and suck your board up toward you like an airplane raising the landing gear.

Manuever: Maintain balance in the air by making subtle weight shifts to stay stable. lower the landing gear by extending about 3/4 of the way to absorb the landing energy. Spot the landings and get ready to land.

LandingTry to land with the board level to the terrain and gently absorb the landing enrgy by flexing as you land. Let the board track and maintain a low edge ange and ride straight away from the landing zone before breaking.

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Armonster20

That makes sense. Now what about if you want to throw, say, a 360?

PaoloSmythe

front or back?

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Armonster20

Either. Not so much the mechanics of how you spin or land, but just how you take off. Can you do it both ways (flat or on edge)?

Snowjoe

Much much easier to set an edge, setting the edge gives you something solid to initiate the spin against.

Generally B/S spins off of the toe edge and F/S off of the heel edge. Although I do alot of F/S and switch F/S spins off of my toe's because it feels awesome! Going backside off of the heels is really hard and I usually end up in a heap hurt on the floor!

Snowolf

For setting up to spin whether it be a 180 or 360 or 540 etc, being on edge is the way to go. The shallow carve adds energy to the rotation before you ever leave the surface. For more about spins, here is a "how to" I wrote and has been added to our "how to" library that is stiky`d to the top of this section, You should browse this section; it may answer many questions you have.

http://www.snowboardingforum.com/tip....html#post4988

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